


a prom only for losers

by dontcallmeeds



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-16 18:23:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14816498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontcallmeeds/pseuds/dontcallmeeds
Summary: it’s junior prom time, and it’s time for the losers to find some dates. obviously richie’s got his boyfriend, eddie (despite richie’s known hatred for the dance), but when the other loser’s crushes get other dates, some things don’t go as initially planned.





	1. Chapter 1

**Richie**

Prom was definitely the bottom of Richie’s list of priorities at the start of his junior year. Junior year was supposedly the most stressful year at Derry High School, and Richie wasn’t spending his time worrying about something as pointless and meaningless as his junior Prom. He focused on not failing his English class (he still had trouble distinguishing there, their, and they’re) and tutoring Eddie in Pre-Calculus. Prom was for losers, but not the good kind of losers. Prom was for the people who couldn’t find anything better to do, the people who longed for something that would make them feel something or really anything at all, that made them feel like they weren't in a small town in Maine. That made them feel special with their expensive dresses and tuxedos and limousines and high heels and clutches. It was for the people who wanted another reminder of how shit their life went after they graduate and go to community college and never go anywhere and start popping out kids as soon as they get eloped in Vegas. Yeah, Richie didn’t give two shits about prom.

His boyfriend did though. That complicated things a bit.

“I need your help.” Stan jumped in his seat as Richie snuck up behind him and whispered in his ear.

“Fuck, Richie.”

“I’m good, actually.”

Stan rolled his eyes so hard they almost rolled back into his head. “Look, I’ve got a problem and I need you to help me, since you are my most sincere and devoted friend.”

”I don’t think that’s accurate—”

“I need to ask Eddie to prom.”

“Oh. Wow. I didn’t know you...I thought you hated prom.”

Richie plopped down and sat in the chair, backwards, next to Stan. He put his hands on his knees.

“I do. I do hate prom, but I love Eddie more. I’m not stupid, and I can tell that every time someone brings the damn dance up his face seems disappointed for a split second before he notices I’m looking at him. I just...prom is supposed to be this big moment, I guess, and Eddie wants it. I’m not gonna be an asshole and make Eddie miss out on this stupid dance so he can resent me for the rest of his life.”

“That’s big of you.”

The librarian shushed them. They both rolled their eyes.

“What about you, Stan? What are your plans for prom?”

Stan sighed and turned the page of his book.

“Nonexistent.”

“What? You haven’t asked anybody?”

Stan scratched the back of his neck.

“I don’t want to ask anyone. There’s this one...this one person I wanted to ask me, but I have a feeling they’re not going to ask anytime soon. I don’t know.” Richie’s eyes grew with curiosity. “No no no no no, I am not telling you who it is, and I am definitely not letting you be my wingman.” Richie pouted. “No, Richie. I don’t want to mess this up.” Stan sighed. “Look, it’s not that big of a deal. It means I can stay at home and just have a lazy day instead of wearing an uncomfortable tux and try to impress someone who probably isn’t even paying attention.”

“That’s depressing.”

Stan smirked.

“It’s whatever.”

“So...are you going to help me?”

Stan gave him a side eye.

“Will I get some kind of payment?”

“I have to pay you to be my friend now?”

Stan guffawed so loud the librarian kicked them out.

 

**Ben**

This was his chance.

Junior prom was coming up fast, and the only thing Ben had on his mind was the fact that Beverly Marsh, the Beverly Marsh, didn’t have a date to prom. He was taller now, evening out the weight, and he had been running lately so he could make track. He felt good about himself, and he definitely felt that if he worked up enough courage, maybe Beverly Marsh would be his date to prom. All he had to do was ask, but every time he brought up prom, it was like there was a frog in his throat.

A word couldn’t come out, and Bev would just laugh with that beautiful laugh of hers and they would just laugh it off until a new topic was brought up. Beverly was a beautiful girl, and he knew that the old rumors were dying down and people finally realized how beautiful she really was. Ben wasn’t the only one in the running now. Soon everyone would be on the Beverly train, waiting for their stop. Ben hoped he would still be the only one left.

But the train had other stops in mind.

“Hey, uh, Beverly?”

Beverly stood in front of her bright yellow locker, putting her books inside. Ben just stood by the side and watched.

“Yeah, Ben?”

Beverly’s hands were shaking just a bit.

“You...okay?”

“What? Yeah. Of course.”

She noticed her hands. “I, uh, drank too much coffee this morning.”

“It’s 7th period, Bev.”

Beverly scratched her neck before she noticed something down the hallway. She turned to face Ben, who still looked worried.

“I’m sorry, Ben, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you. Okay?”

“Oh-of course. Yeah.”

She waved goodbye. I’ll call you. Ben smiled just a bit as he turned to walk away.

“Bill! Hey! Wait up!”

He looked behind him only to see Beverly walking side by side with Bill Denbrough. As he turned to his locker with Bev by his side, Ben walked into the other hallway and peered around the corner, watching as stealthily as he could. “Um...what’s your plans for prom?” Bev asked. Ben felt his face get red, but was it embarrassment or anger? He couldn’t tell.

“I guess I d-don’t really have any.”

“Good! I mean--oh jeez--I’m sorry.” Bev put her head in her hands.

“Bev, are you tr-trying to ask me to prom?”

“Trying and failing…”

“N-No! It’s okay. Really.”

“You weren’t planning on asking anyone, were you? If you were, it’s fine—”

Ben couldn’t help but notice the small hesitation before Bill denied it. His hand scrunched into a fist. This was his chance, this was his moment, and it was ruined. Bev had eyes for Bill. Bill had eyes for Bev, and always had. It was so blatantly obvious. How could he be so stupid as to think that they didn’t? He never had a chance in the first place.

“So you’ll go with me?”

“Of course, Beverly.”

He could hear the handsome smirk in his voice. Ugh. Ben stormed off as the bell rang. Just another great addition to this already great day.

 

**Stan**

Stan really tried to forget the idea of prom. He had been looking forward to it, but something about it was now just a bit tainted. He watched as everyone around him was asked to prom, everyone had some kind of plan, and Stan was planning on staying home in his pajamas and watching tv or some shit. Something so he could avoid Bill. Richie was trying to get Stan to come out and say who he really wanted to ask him to prom, but he refused to tell him and have Richie ruin everything like he always does. He loved Richie, but he tried so hard to set Stan up with every crush he had and every time it ended up in heartbreak and embarrassment. It wasn’t worth it this time, and Bill was different. Bill was wonderful, magical, and everything in-between. He wanted to see himself looking into Bill’s big eyes as they waltzed around the dark dance floor and listened to slow music and got so close they could feel each other’s heartbeats. It was everything he dreamed.

That was exactly what it was. A dream.

“Stan. Wait up.”

Ben chased down the hallway to meet up with Stan as he stopped at his locker.

“What’s up?”

“Beverly asked Bill to prom.

“Is that some kind of joke?”

“No. Trust me. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Stan blew his curls out of his face and slammed his locker door, not completely convinced. “I was literally talking to her and she just cut me off to go talk to him! Seriously!”

“Ouch.”

“I know!”

“So how did you hear all of this then?”

“I was…kind of...spying?”

“Bennnnnnnnnnnnn. Whyyyyyyyyy.”

“I was there, and I heard her say stuff about prom and I was curious! I couldn’t help it.”

Stan groaned and leaned against the wall.

“Ben. That’s not good. You can’t just eavesdrop on their conversations.”

“Well, I already did. And he said yes!”

“Wait, what?” Ben sighed.

“He said yes, Stan. He said, “Oh, of course, Beverly, I would love to go to prom with you and everything.”

“Son of bitch!”

Stan kicked the nearby trash can. It took all of the wind out of him.

“Wait, I’m not sure I’m picking up what you’re throwing down.” Ben walked toward him. “I like Beverly, so I’m upset they’re going to prom, but why are you upset, exactly?”

“Well, if you like Beverly, who’s left, Ben?”

It took Ben a second to connect the dots, but when he did, he let out an audible and very loud gasp.

“You like B--”

“Shhhhhh!”

Stan covered Ben’s mouth with his hand.

“You cannot tell anyone, Ben. Anyone. Especially Richie. Okay?”

You could barely hear the words Ben spoke because of Stan’s hand covering his mouth, but it sounded a lot like ‘you like Bill!’ Stan took his hand away. “Yeah. I do. And I really wanted that asshole to ask me to prom.”

“Ouch.” Ben paused. “You know, we could all go together and just hang out. We can show that even though we weren’t asked, we aren’t going to let them get to us. You know, like in Pretty in Pink.” The silence lingered. “Not that I watch every movie with Molly Ringwald in it or anything.”

“You’re right, Ben.” Stan put his hands on his hips. “Let’s crash a prom.” Ben let the moment linger for a second.

“Well, I mean, we wouldn’t necessarily be crashing the prom because we’re invited--”

“Don’t ruin the moment Ben.”

 

**Bill**

Bill always had a problem with saying no. Especially to Bev. There was something about her, something that made it impossible for Bill to deny any of her requests. He tried not to, and the other Losers knew just how malleable he was. Bev was one of his best friends, and the idea of seeing her disappointed or upset hurt his stomach. He couldn’t even imagine seeing her cry. But he didn’t like Beverly. Not like that. He wished he could tell her no when she asked him to prom. He wished he could tell her that he did have someone he wanted to ask to prom. He wished he could have told her who it was. Shit. Shit shit shit. Why didn’t he just say no? He didn't say no because Beverly was his friend. He didn’t say no because he wanted a date to prom anyway. He didn’t say no because he knew no one would give him shit for going with a girl instead of…

He just really wanted to go to prom, and if he didn’t ask who he had wanted to he wouldn’t have had any time to get a tux, and then he couldn’t go to prom, and besides he probably wouldn’t have had the courage to ask anyway. It worked out perfectly. He could get a tux, he could hang out with his friends all night long...it was the perfect solution to a complex problem. He wanted to dance the night away until he couldn’t feel anything but the wind in his hair as they drove around town to get dinner, and he couldn’t wait until they all went back to Bill’s house and watched cheesy movies and tried to stay quiet as Georgie slept in their bedroom above them. He envisioned a perfect night with amazing people.

He wished he could’ve told her no.

“Is it true you’re going to prom with Beverly?”

Stan came out of nowhere as soon as Bill walked out of Chemistry.

“Yeah, why?”

“No reason, I just...I just heard rumors and I wanted to hear it from you.”

“Oh.” Bill was confused. Stan seemed kind of disappointed that he was going with Beverly. Maybe he had feelings for her? But that didn’t make any sense. Stan never really communicated much with Beverly other than when they were all together. So why would he be upset about him going with Beverly? “Well, the rumors are true.”

“Oh.” Stan paused. “I just--forget about it.”

“You can’t do that, S-Stan. T-tell me what you were going to say.”

“It’s nothing. Really.”

“It’s obviously not n-nothing, Stanley.”

Stanley. He didn’t like calling him Stanley. He only said it when he was upset with him. Stan knew this. Hearing his full name come out of Bill’s mouth wasn’t good news.

“I was just looking forward to hanging out with you at prom. That’s all.”

They turned the corner, but Bill grabbed onto Stan’s forearm, pulling him into the bathroom.

“Why wouldn’t we be hanging out at p-prom?”

Stan shrugged.

“You’re going with Beverly.”

“Wh-what does that have to do with anything?”

“It means you’re just going to slow dance and get her punch and walk around with her and hold her shoes and suck face--”

“What are you t-t-talking about?”

“You like Beverly, obviously! You’re not going to want to hang around us Losers the whole time. It’s obvious you’ve wanted this from the beginning and you don’t even care that your friend Ben, who has had a crush on Bev as soon as he laid eyes on her, is devastated because Beverly asked you to prom instead of him asking her, and the fact that you said yes even though you knew Ben liked Bev in the first place is kind of shitty, Bill.”

“Did you ever think that I wanted to ask someone? Did it ever occur to you that I don’t want to go to prom with Beverly? No. You didn’t, did you?”

“I--”

“I’m going with Beverly because she’s my friend. Not because I like her. I like her as a friend and nothing more. But that shouldn’t even matter. Just because Ben likes her doesn’t mean that he has some kind of d-d-dibs on her. Bev can date whoever she wants, Stan. Jesus. I thought you would know that.”

“Bill--”

“I’m going to be late for Spanish.”

“Bill, wait!”

He didn’t stop. He just kept walking, but the conversation never left his head.

 

**Eddie**

It was simple to Eddie about why he wanted to go to Prom. He just liked the idea of it, really. Prom is an intimate thing, a dance all night until you can’t move a muscle kind of thing, and Eddie needed something like that. With his barely passing grade in Pre-Calculus and his final exams coming up, Eddie needed something, anything to get his mind off it. He knew Richie could tell he was stressed when they made out in the back of his car, and he wanted a night to be completely stress free, to have fun with Richie and to show him he could have a good time. He just wanted to wear a fancy tux and dance the night away with the love of his life and his best friends. He wanted to eat fast food after the dance was over and drive around with his head sticking out the window as Richie drove down the highway listening to the best song they’ve ever heard and hold each other as they parked and overlooked a mountain or some beautiful shit like that.

Was that too much to ask?

“You should’ve heard the sh-shit that he was saying, Eddie.”

Bill had grabbed him after study period was over. He seemed troubled and distracted, like he wasn’t completely there. “I’d never seen him that mad before.”

“Why was he mad?”

“I don’t really know. He said I was being insensitive because Ben wanted to ask Bev to prom.”

“It wasn’t your fault Beverly asked you. What were you supposed to do?”

“I know. That’s what I tried to say.” Bill paused and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know. I feel like that might not have been it.”

“What, you think he was mad about something else?”

“Maybe. I feel like he was just using the whole Ben situation as some kind of excuse for something else. But I don’t know what.”

“You don’t think he likes...Bev...do you?”

“What? No way.”

Eddie couldn’t help but stop and notice that Richie wasn’t joining them in the hallway like he always did. The day was finally over, and they had a daily ritual of meeting Richie after he left History. But he wasn’t there. He stopped and looked inside, but Richie wasn’t in the room at all. “Maybe he had a lot of homework to catch up on,” Bill whispered to him. Eddie swallowed.

“Yeah. Maybe.”

Bill walked side by side with Eddie until they reached the cafeteria.

“Is that--?”

“Richie?” Eddie walked into the cafeteria and saw Richie standing on top of one of the tables, a large sign in his hands. Stan stood beside him on the floor, looking at the sign before catching a glimpse of the two boys in the doorway.

“Shit. Richie.” Richie spun around and saw Eddie gaping at him.

“What is this?” Eddie asked. Bill and Stan stood awkwardly, trying to avoid each other’s glare.

“It’s for you, Eds.” He looked over at Stan. “Thanks for all of the help, Stanford. Can you give us a moment?”

“Oh. Uh. Sure.”

Stan rushed out of the room, and Bill followed right behind him.

“Ahem. As I was saying.”

“What are you doing on a table?” Eddie let out a little chuckle. Richie cleared out his throat one more time and turned around his sign.

                      **~~Sonia~~ Eddie Kaspbrak**  
**Will you go to prom with me?**

In his complete surprise, Eddie barely noticed the fact that his mother’s name was right beside his and crossed out. Instead, he ran toward Richie and into his arms.

“Is that a yes?”

“You’re such a nerd. Yes, I’ll go to prom with you.” Richie planted a big kiss on Eddie’s lips, and Eddie jumped up, wrapping his legs around him. “Wait.” Richie put his forehead against Eddie’s and wrapped his arms around his waist. “But you hate prom.” Richie kissed his cheek.

“Sometimes you make sacrifices for the people you love.”

“I love you too, you dork.”

Richie grinned and kissed him again.

Eddie Kaspbrak was going to prom.


	2. Chapter 2

**Richie and Eddie**

Three knocks did the trick. He stood in front of the wooden door of the Kaspbraks, whistling a tune he heard on the newest song stuck in his head and twiddling his thumbs. He didn’t want to admit that he was nervous. I mean, why would he? Him and Eddie had been together since the beginning of freshman year, and every day since then they’ve been glued at the hip. Why would a school dance be any different? Maybe it was because he didn’t really want to be there, and the tag on the bag of his tux was irritating the skin on the back of his neck, or the fact that he was afraid Eddie could sense his uncomfortableness. Either way, here he was, standing in front of the door, waiting for Mrs. K to open the door and say, ‘Well, don’t you look handsome, Richard,” and Eddie would show up before he could say anything else and they would get in his car and zoom.

“Well, don’t you look handsome, Richard,” Mrs. Kaspbrak said as she opened the door. It was weird, hearing a nice compliment coming from a woman who resented you. Her face was still scrunched up in a scowl.

“Why thank you, Mrs. K. You look stunning.”

She did not look stunning. She was wearing a nightgown despite it being 5:00 P.M. and her sweat made her makeup drip down her face. Richie, however, ignored this and smiled at the woman. She did not.

“Uh huh. Edward, dear! Your... _date_ is here.”

Richie ignored the blatant homophobia and maintained his smile, even though his fist clenched, cutting into his palms with his fingernails. He was used to this sort of behavior from Mrs. K anyway.

“Coming, Ma!”

Richie’s fist unclenched. It was like a scene out of a movie. Everything was in slow motion, and as soon as Eddie took one step out of his room, Richie could feel his heartbeat in his chest, and his mouth opened so wide his mom would tell him that he was going to catch flies. Eddie walked—no, strutted—across the room in his tuxedo, which fit him so well that it looked like he was _made_ for it. Richie had no words. “Richie?” Richie didn’t hear a word. “Richie!” Richie snapped, and all of the sudden he was back on planet Earth.

“Eddie, you look...you look _amazing.”_

Eddie blushed.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“Oh no. I do. No one in that room will look as good as you.”

Mrs. Kaspbrak shuffled in her spot.

“Eddie, honey, you want some pictures?” Eddie looked at Richie.

“Is that okay with you?” Richie nodded, and slipped his fingers between Eddie’s. They stood against the beige wallpaper of the hallway; for the pose, Richie stood against the wall with his arms wrapped around Eddie’s waist. Richie pressed little kisses against Eddie’s neck, and later, when they got the pictures, everyone who saw them could see the overwhelming amount of love in each shot.

“You ready to go?” Richie asked, pressing another kiss onto the top of Eddie’s head.

“Yeah.” He looked over at Mrs. Kaspbrak. “Thanks for the pictures, Ma. Love you.” Eddie walked up and kissed his mom on the cheek; after, Sonia stared Richie down, a look of discomfort in her eyes. Richie had to give it to her, even though she was obviously uncomfortable with her son’s homosexuality, but at least she didn’t disown him. She kept her mouth shut, which was not common of Eddie’s mother.

“Richard, I’m sure you know the curfew.”

“He’ll be back by midnight, Mrs. K,” Richie said, crossing his heart with his finger. “Cross my heart.”

“Okay. Good.” She looked at her son. “Have fun, honey bear. But not _too_ much fun. No drugs. No alcohol. No dirty dancing.”

“No one puts Eddie in a corner, Mrs. K,” Richie laughed. After realizing that no one else quite enjoyed his joke as much as he did, his laughter died quickly. “He’ll be in good hands, Mrs. K. I’ve got it under control.” Mrs. K merely glared at him.

“Don’t worry, Ma,” Eddie said instead, “I’ll keep Richie in line.” For the first time all night, Mrs. K smiled and sent her son off. She might not have been entirely happy with who he went with to prom, but seeing her son so happy made _her_ happy.

 

**Ben and Stan**

Ben woke up the morning of prom and groaned. He was looking forward to going to Stan, of course, but the fact that Bill and Beverly was going to prom, that _Bill_ got to take pictures with her and wrap a corsage around her wrist made him sick to his stomach. He woke up, said hello to his mother and cousins, and looked at his tux which he had hanging in his closet. He stared at it for a second with longing. He could picture himself with his hands hugging Beverly’s waist as they slow danced. He could picture himself twirling him around in her dress, looking beautiful as always. Even if her dress was ugly, he would tell her how beautiful she looked. He would smile at her until his cheek bones hurt. He would dance until his feet wanted to fall off. Then he looked in the mirror and saw his lonely eyes that would not be slow dancing with Beverly Marsh. He decided to take a shower and stand there until the water got cold.

Stan, on the other hand, felt his sadness turn into anger. He was determined, if anything, to have the best time of his life and rub it in Bill’s face. He could have fun without him. He woke up the morning of prom and jumped in the shower, feeling the water against his face and washed away the tears that he wanted to shed but didn’t. After he got out, he had breakfast with his mom and called Ben, asking when he would show. It’s not that he wanted to spend his prom with Ben. He did. Ben was his best bud. He just wished that Bill understood why he was upset. Why did Stan have to be the only one to understand? He thought understanding went both ways when it came to friends. He pushed those feelings away and focused on the problem at hand. He put on his tux, slicked back his hair, and waited for Ben to pick him up in his truck.

He refused to let Bill and Beverly ruin their night.

 

The bell rang at 5:00 on the dot. Mrs. Uris opened the door quickly, revealing Ben in his tuxedo.

“Wow, Ben! You look wonderful!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Uris.” Mrs. Uris stepped out of the way for Ben to enter. “You have a wonderful house, Mrs. Uris.”

“Please, Ben, call me Andrea.”

“He will never call you Andrea, mom.” Stan entered the kitchen, his hair slicked back and his hands in his pockets. “He’s too polite for that.”

“Stanley! You look so handsome.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“You do look really great, Stan.”

“Thanks, Haystack.”

Stan put his arm around Ben and noogied him.

“You two better go, or you’ll be late,” Mrs. Uris interrupted.

“You ready to go, Ben?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

The two waved goodbye to Mrs. Uris and piled into Ben’s truck. As Ben turned on the ignition, the two sighed and looked each other.

“Let’s do this.”

  


**Bill and Bev**

Bill woke up in the afternoon after a long night of thinking. He couldn’t help but keep the argument between him and Stan from repeating in his head. _You_ like _Beverly, obviously! You’re not going to want to hang around us_ Losers _the whole time._ Why did he care, anyway? Why would Stan be so upset about him liking Beverly? It didn't matter anyway. Even when Bill tried to picture himself with Beverly, he felt guilt in the pit of his stomach. He could never like Beverly. He hoped she wouldn’t try to make a move on him. He didn’t want to embarrass her or break her heart. He just wanted to give his friend a nice prom, and even if it hurt Stan’s feelings, he was going to give her one. She deserved a good prom with someone who cared for her instead of someone who would just treat her like an object.

That’s what got him out of bed and into his tuxedo.

His mom took pictures of him with his brother Georgie in the front yard. He felt classy in his tuxedo with his bright red tie. He clutched the corsage of roses in the small plastic box it came in. He tried not to seem like he wasn’t enjoying himself. Soon, after he picked up Beverly, he would be with his friends, and he wouldn’t have to worry about being uncomfortable or saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing. His friends made everything _right._ However, he wasn’t looking forward to the look on Stan’s face. He swallowed. If only he knew. He wanted to scream it at him while they were in the bathroom. _Did you ever think that I_ wanted _to ask someone? Did it ever occur to you that I_ don’t _want to go to prom with Beverly?_ He just wanted to scream it.

_I wanted to ask you!_

 

“You look b-b-beautiful, Beverly. Really.”

Beverly had walked outside to find Bill standing on the curb in front of his car, waiting for her.

“You don’t look too bad yourself, William.”

Bill laughed, and tilted his head down to the ground only to look back up at her. She really did look beautiful. Red looked wonderful on her. It brought out the short bob of red which she was known by. She strolled toward him, her black heels tapping against the pavement with every step. She could be a model if she wanted to. She could go to prom with any guy she wanted, and she wanted him. He swallowed.

“Y-You ready to meet up with the guys?”

“Of course. I want to see Richie miserable in his tux.”

“I don’t know, maybe he’ll be happy.”

“There’s nothing Richie hates more than dances.”

They pulled up in the school parking lot and waited for everyone to show up. Bill parked his car, and for a moment it was completely silent in his car, and the tension between the two of them was overwhelming. Bill even felt sweat beads forming on his neck. He looked over at Beverly, and he smiled as he saw her; she stared at the window, but not like she was bored, but as if she was completely satisfied. You could tell she felt comfortable in her body, and that she was confident in who she was. Bill admired her more than almost anyone.

“Hey, Bev?” Beverly turned her head to face him. “Can I tell you something? It’s kind of important.”

“Of course.” Bill took a deep breath and looked right into her eyes. She was his best friend, and even though he knew he would have to tell her sooner or later, his heart was beating so fast he thought it would explode.

“Beverly...I think I’m--”

“Bill! Hey!”

Richie tapped on the car window.

“Richie! Fuck!” Bill turned around and rolled the window down. “You s-scared the shit out of me!”

“What’s going on in here? You guys professing your love or something?” Bill opened the door and stepped out.

“Cut the shit, Rich. Seriously.”

“Oof. Did I hit a nerve?”

“Something like that.”

Well, Richie was already enjoying prom more than he was. Eddie got out of the car and stood beside Richie, grabbing his hand and holding it tight. You could tell from a mile away that they were in love; their happiness radiated off each other.

“Wow, Richie, you look great!” Bev beamed, hugging him. “You too, Eddie. You guys look amazing.”

“Thanks, Bev,” Eddie whispered, blushing. Richie looked down at him and smiled. Bev looked back at Bill, her eyes saying _you were right._ Bill shuffled in his spot.

“She’s r-right. You guys look really good.”

Richie wrapped his arm around Bill’s shoulders.

“Billiam! How kind!”

“Are you guys ready to go in?” Eddie asked.

“Aren’t we waiting for Ben and Stan?” Bev replied. Bill swallowed. Hearing Stan’s name made his palms sweat. Bill had many regrets in his life, and yelling at Stan was one of them. He replayed the look on Stan’s face over and over in his head, and each time he heard himself in his head the less it sounded like him. _Bev can date whoever she wants, Stan. Jesus. I thought you would know that._ Idiot. There’s no way he could like you after that.

“Wait. Here they come.”

Stan turned to see Ben driving his truck toward them, Stan sitting in the passenger seat. Bill scratched his neck and stared at the ground, trying to avoid Stan’s gaze.

“Bill, it’s prom. He can’t still be upset with you,” Eddie whispered.

“Why would Stan be upset with you?” Bev asked, eavesdropping.

“N-N-Nothing. No reason. Don’t worry about it.”

Bev turned her head and didn’t say a word. Shit. She was going to worry about it.

 

**Richie and Eddie**

Richie knew something was up. Bill was acting... _weird_ to say the least. It was prom, and he figured Bill would be much happier than what he was right now. He looked distant, like something was off. As soon as Stan and Ben showed up in Ben’s truck, his whole mannerism changed. He kept his head down and didn’t say a word. Stan caught quick glances at him, and for a second Richie could see regret in his eyes before he blinked it away. Bill just kept on walking, and didn’t look back up at the Losers until they walked in. Richie didn’t focus on Bill, that was for sure: his eyes and attention remained on Eddie, his angel, his model, his wonderful boyfriend who looked so damn hot he could’ve overheated.

He could tell Eddie was trying not to let the compliments get to his head. Richie kept spewing them as the night progressed: even when Eddie was sweaty and exhausted from dancing, Richie complimented him. _Eds, darling, you look amazing._ Eddie would brush it off, but he never admitted that the compliments stayed with him for days. When they walked in, eyes were all over them: it was Derry’s gayest prom yet, and that was for sure. Richie grabbed Eddie’s hand proudly, and even though he was blushing like crazy, Eddie was so fucking proud of him. Of himself, too. All the Losers were, too. They watched as Richie dipped Eddie and planted a big kiss on his lips.

 _Was that necessary?_ Eddie would ask later.

_Oh, darling, it’s always necessary._

Eddie secretly loved it. He loved everything about it. He loved everything about prom, about the dancing, about the music, about the rush you get when you are all one group, laughing and dancing and singing and screaming...but most of all, he loved everything about Richie. The trashmouth just had a way about him that made his knees give. They were the cutest couple he could think of, and it wasn’t even a lie. Richie was the cutest boyfriend he could think of that was a fact...even if he did want to punch him sometimes.

However, prom didn’t start out very well. Every one of the Losers could feel the tension building as Stan and Ben jumped out of Ben’s truck and walked over to the school by themselves. Eyes were all on Bill; his mouth was suspended in air as he watched Stan strutted toward the door...it was like he was purposefully teasing him...like he wanted to show Bill what he was missing. Ben, on the other hand, couldn’t help but stare at Beverly in her bright red dress. For a second he felt bad for just walking away. He wanted to say hi to her, to the rest of his friends, but Stan was walking so fast and so dramatically and he had already made his decision so he might as well just go through with it...damn, Beverly Marsh looked gorgeous...but when he got to the corsage around her wrist and saw the man beside her with his matching tie and boutonniere, he suddenly felt his face turn red with anger, and the next thing he knew, he was walking with just as much flare as Stan.

“What the fuck happened between you two?” Beverly asked Bill.

“It’s n-n-nothing, Bev. Really.”

Bill started to walk away, shoving his hands in his pockets. Eddie looked up at Richie.

“You think they’ll be okay?”

Richie grabbed a toothpick out of his pocket and put it in-between his teeth. “Are you kidding? 10 bucks they’ll be making out by the end of the night.”

“Bill and Bev?”

“Nah.” Richie smiled at him and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go, babe. Don’t worry about Billiam. He’ll figure everything out.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.”

He pressed a kiss against his forehead and squeezed his hand as they walked inside.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ben and Stan**

Nothing was going according to plan. It had been an hour since the prom started, and no one had given in. No one had walked by them or talked to them, hell, no one had even looked at them. No one asked Stan to dance, and he knew he wasn’t going to be able to ask anyone. Ben only had heart eyes for Bev and just sat at the table feeling sorry for himself and watching as Bev danced with Bill. Stan slouched into his chair and took a sip of his punch. This was fucking boring. He didn’t even feel like dancing anymore.

“Ben. Hey. Ben.”

“Uh huh.” 

“I’m going to the bathroom.”

“Uh huh.”

Sighing, Stan stood up and made his way to the bathroom, his hands digging into his pockets. Some girls shuffled past him, some giggling, some fighting over some asshole. He walked into the bathroom and gripped the bathroom sink. At first he couldn’t look up at himself. He knew he would only find a sad, heartbroken face, but as soon as he looked in the mirror, something changed. His curly hair fell against both of his cheeks, tickling them a bit. He smiled. He looked damn good. He bit his lip and walked out of the bathroom with a new sense of pride he didn’t have before. He pulled Ben out of the chair and dragged him to the dance floor.

He danced to every song, no matter how cheesy, and danced until he could feel sweat dripping off his curls. He danced without looking for Bill, without feeling sorry for himself...he danced so he could only feel the music and nothing else. He laughed harder than he had in hours. He twirled Ben around like a ballerina. He slow danced with him during one of the slow songs. Neither of them even looked at Bill or Beverly. He did every dance move he could think of. It felt good. It felt liberating. It felt like a weight was off his shoulders. It was so fulfilling. 

He liked seeing Ben that happy too. 

After a while, he needed a break, and he decided to plop into a seat and drink some more punch before he passed out. His hair was a wet, sweaty mess, but he didn't care. He sat, he laughed, and he watched as Ben tried to chug his punch. Chug! Chug! Chug! It was a perfect night. He didn’t need any of the others. He kicked back and leaned against his chair and closed his eyes and let the music swallow him. It was a perfect moment. When his eyes opened, he saw Bill and Bev walk off the dance floor.

No. Don’t look at them. Don’t even think about them! Just focus on this. Focus on this moment. 

He wanted to know what they were saying. Bill was saying something, and Bev was putting her hand on his forearm, and then she pulled him into a hug...What the fuck? When they pulled away, they laughed, and then he saw Bill turn towards them. Shit. He looked away, trying to avoid his gaze, but what was weird is that he could  _ feel  _ Bill staring at him. Over all of the music he could somehow here the  _ clip clop  _ of Bill’s shoes against the floor as he walked toward him. Even though he had been avoiding him for days, the fact that Bill  _ wanted  _ to talk to him made him glow. He looked up, met his gaze, and saw as Bill motioned toward the bathroom with his eyes.

“Ben. Hey.”

“Uh huh?”

“I have to go to the bathroom. Get all of this sweat out of my hair. Be right back.”

“You got it. Meet you on the dance floor?”

“Uh huh.”

He stood up and watched as Bill made his way down the hallway to the bathroom. His heart was beating fast. He took a deep breath, pushed his hair out of his face, and made his way. 

 

**Richie and Eddie**

After a while, it was really easy to get absorbed into the music. It was like an ocean wave, knocking your feet out of the sand and dragging you down. Except it wasn’t terrifying; it was almost like being drunk or high: you felt on top of the world, like you can do anything or be anyone, like you were all just one person moving together to one song. It was a crazy feeling. Eddie was loving it. He loved Richie and his stupid dance moves. The sprinkler, for example. He loved the whole upbeat song feeling, but he wished for a slow song so Richie would hold him close and never let him go. He noticed that his boyfriend was really letting go; he thought prom was going to make him miserable and cranky, but he was into the whole prom atmosphere more than anyone else. His hair was messier than usual and the back of his neck was covered in sweat from dancing, but he was a ball of positivity, dancing with all he had for every song, even if it was cheesy and stupid.

Eddie loved it. 

 

“Having fun?”

“You kidding, Eds? This is a blast.”

Eddie smiled as he poured the punch in his cup. “I’m glad. I thought you hated prom.”

“I guess it just depends on the person,” Richie said with a grin. “I have been completely convinced that I’m going to enjoy myself no matter where I am as long as I’m with you.” Eddie blushed. 

“Admit it,” Eddie teased. “You like prom, and not just because of me.” 

Richie, being a gentleman, pulled out a chair for his boyfriend to sit at the table. 

“Sure, if that’s what you want to hear,” Richie plopped himself down in a chair and leaned back, pulling a toothpick from his suit pocket and putting it in between his teeth. “The music could be better.” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Sure.” 

“How ‘bout you, Eds? You enjoying yourself?”

Eddie looked around to check to see if the coast was clear before landing a kiss on his boyfriend’s lips. Richie let out a small moan of pleasure.

“Does that answer your question?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Richie said with a smile. “I mean, you’ve kissed me in the middle of an argument before.” Richie gave him a teasing grin.

“Well, I would show you a bit more, but we can’t do that right in the middle of the prom.” Richie raised his eyebrows.

“Jesus, Eds, I was just suggesting we could go dance some more.” Eddie punched his arm. 

“Bullshit!” Richie chuckled. 

“Okay, okay! Seriously though, let’s go dance.”

“Okay, asshole.” 

Richie grabbed Eddie’s hand and they walked to the dance floor together. It wasn’t long before they were swept away once again.

 

**Bill and Bev**

Beverly could tell something was up, that there was something Bill was hiding from her. He was distant since the moment he picked her up, and when he saw Stan she knew that there was something he wasn’t saying. She wanted to ask him about it, but hell, it was prom! Why would she ruin prom over something that might not be as big of a deal as she thought? He seemed okay when he was with everyone else, but when he saw Stan or Ben dancing on their own, he would get quiet and he wouldn’t dance as much. He just kind of kept his head down and swayed. That was when she decided to pull him over to the tables, to just ask what was wrong. If he didn’t want to talk, then they wouldn’t talk, but she just had to try. 

 

“What’s up?”

“Look, you seem off. You haven’t been yourself all night.” Bill sighed. “What happened between you and Stan?”

“It was nothing, Bev, really--”

“Obviously it wasn’t nothing, Bill. I want you to have a nice time; that’s why I invited you in the first place. But if there’s something wrong you can just tell me. I just want to know how to make you feel better.”

“I just...Stan and I got in an argument in the bathroom the other day. He...he was concerned because someone I know...l-likes you. He was mad because I accepted even though I knew this fr-friend likes you and wanted to ask you to prom.”

“Someone was going to ask me to prom?”

“Yeah. He was...right b-b-before you asked me. I didn’t know this at the time. Anyway, Stan just said we were going to...s-s-suck face the whole time. I yelled at him, and we haven’t talked since.”

“Jesus.”

Beverly looked down at the ground. She didn’t know how to respond to that.

“I assume you won’t tell me who it is?”

“I can’t do that, Bev. Sorry.”

“I figured. You’re too good of a person.” She smiled at him. “Look, I don’t...I don’t like you like that and I don’t think you like me like that either. I just asked you because you’re my friend--”

“Yeah, of course. That’s what I figured.”

Bill sat down in a chair, and gestured for Bev to sit down, too. “Uh...Bev, I wanted to tell you something in the car before Richie interrupted us, and...and I think I need to tell you because...because you’re the only one I can trust with this right now.”

“Uh...okay. Go ahead.”

“I, uh...I think I might be gay.”

Bev smiled at him, and Bill felt what felt like a huge weight coming off his shoulders. He could barely say that to himself in a mirror, but saying it out loud to someone else just made it feel so much better. “I...I was going to ask Stanley to prom. At least, I say that I was going to. I probably wouldn't have had the balls to do it. You did, though.” He chuckled. “I don’t know, a part of me hoped that the reason why he got mad was because he liked me.” He felt his head droop. “I don’t know. Maybe he likes you.” 

Bev guffawed. 

“Stanley? No way.” She smiled. “I mean. No way would he like me. I think you’ve got a shot, Bill. I think...I think you need to talk to him and fix things between you two, and see where it goes from there.” She glanced over at him. “See. He’s right there.” Bill looked over at him, laughing at smiling at Ben, having a good time. 

“I don’t know, Beverly…”

“Come on, Bill! It’s prom! Anything could happen! He looks happier now. Maybe he’s over it. You go and talk to him. I’ll go hang out with Ben or something. Okay?”

“Are you sure?”

Bev put her hand on his forearm. 

“I’ve never been more sure. Go get him, tiger!”

Bill pulled her in for a hug and walked away, laughing, toward Stan. He didn’t say anything; he pulled Stan in with just his eyes, and walked to the bathroom, hoping that Stan would follow.

 

**Richie and Eddie**

“You fucking owe me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Look.”

Richie pointed at Bill, who was followed by Stan in the direction of the bathroom. Richie felt a smirk creep onto his face. Eddie laughed.

“Jesus Christ! Do you have some kind of psychic power?”

“I’m just that good.” He smiled. “Ten bucks, baby.”

“Hey! They haven’t made out  _ yet.” _

 

**Ben and Bev**

“Hey, Ben.” 

“Oh. Hi, Beverly.”

Beverly sat in the nearest chair, smiling widely and kindly. Ben always loved her smile. “You, erm, look beautiful tonight Bev.”

“Why, thank you, Ben. You look incredibly dapper this evening.” Ben blushed.

“I try.”

Beverly laughed and put her hand on his forearm. 

“I missed you tonight, Ben.”

“Yeah, you too, Bev.”

“I know why Stan was being distant...but why you?”

“He, erm…” Obviously he couldn’t tell her the truth. He couldn’t lie to her either though… “He just asked me if I wanted to come along. He didn’t want to be alone. It’s not like I’ve had a bad time. Stan knows how to have a fun time.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but at least it wasn’t a complete lie. 

“I don’t doubt it.” Another song started to play, a song by New Kids on the Block.  Ben blushed. “Oh! Come on, New Kid on the Block. It’s your band! Let’s go.” She grabbed his arm, and they went to the dance floor, Ben smiling like a kid in a candy shop. This felt good; she might not have been his date, but it didn’t matter. This is what he wanted in the first place. He wanted to dance with Bev at prom, the music pulling them closer and closer emotionally and physically. He loved every bit of it. 

He wished that the moment could have lasted forever. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the final chapter. it's a prom only for losers, and they're prepared to make it right. whether it be in the boys bathroom or on the dance floor, each one of them is determined to find their own way. 
> 
> enjoy. it's a good one.

**Bill and Stan**

Oh god. What was he doing? What the hell was he going to say? It was rushed. He should’ve waited and thought everything through. Stan could be in there any minute. Oh Jesus. It felt hot all of the sudden. He pulled at his suit collar. 

“Bill?”

Oh no.

“H-Hey, Stan.”

Stan entered, his hands in his pockets and his hair all over his face. He looked hot, like he had just been in a sauna. “What’s up?”

“We need...we need to talk. I just...I can’t stand you being mad at me anymore.” Stan sighed and walked closer.

“Me, mad at you? Bill…” He scratched his neck. “I overreacted. I...I brought you in here for stupid reasons and if anyone should be mad, it should be you. I treated Beverly like she was some kind of property and that was horrible. I’m not...I’m not mad at you because you agreed to go with Beverly. I got mad because…” He felt something in his throat. “Bill, I was mad because I wanted to go with  _ you. _ ” Stan couldn’t make eye contact. “I know that’s stupid, because I don’t even know if you’re gay--”

Bill kissed Stan’s lips, putting both of his hands on Stan’s cheeks, pulling him closer until he felt Stan against him. Stan pressed him against the wall and put his hands on Bill’s hips. Before they knew it, they were in one of the stalls. Bill giggled as he fiddled with the lock of the stall door with Stan behind him, a million things going through his mind (including, but not limited to, “holy fuck I kissed Bill Denbrough” and “holy shit I’m about to make out in a bathroom stall with Bill Denbrough”). As Bill finally got the door to lock, he gripped Stan’s hips and pulled him against him, pressing small kisses into Stan’s neck and on every small mole on the way up, until he made it to his lips. Stan wrapped his arms around Bill’s neck and pulled him closer as their tongues explored each other’s mouths. 

Bill brought his fingers up to Stan’s buttoned shirt, unbuttoning every single button until Stan’s bare chest was exposed. 

“You’ve got a little bit of drool...right...there…” Stan kissed Bill’s cheek as he unbuttoned Bill’s shirt. 

“There’s more where that came from…”

Bill’s shirt was opened, revealing his chest and very few chest hairs for which his brother liked to mock on occasion. He dragged his fingers down Stan’s chest. “So beautiful, Stan.”

“Have you ever seen yourself, Bill Denbrough?” Stan replied. Bill smirked and bent down to kiss Stan’s chest, from his clavicle all the way down to his belly button, until he saw Stan’s erection in his pants. He paused before looking back up into Stan's eyes.

“Do you need any help with that?”

 

**Richie and Eddie**

“Jesus Christ!”

“What? What is it?”

Richie laughed. 

“You owe me _big_!”

“What?”

Eddie turned around and watched as the couple reentered the prom, holding hands and looking definitely ruffled up. 

“I know I have shitty eyesight, but I think that’s a fucking hickey on Billiam’s neck. Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

“Oh yeah, that’s definitely a hickey.” Eddie sighed. “How much do I owe you?”

“Oh buddy. I’m no good with baseball terms but I think Stan just hit a slam dunk.”

“I don’t think that’s how baseball works.”

“What I’m trying to say is that ten dollars is probably chump change compared to what happened in that bathroom.”

“Okay, how about…” Eddie checked the money in his wallet. “Um. I’ve got...five bucks.”

“Shit.” He paused. “Well...better than nothing.”

 

**Ben and Bev**

The night was reaching its end. Ben could definitely say he was pleased with how the night turned out: he was dancing with Beverly Marsh, and  _ just  _ Beverly Marsh. It was like a dream come true, and it helped even more when he saw Bill and Stan walk out of the bathroom completely fucked up and holding hands. Beverly laughed when she saw them, covering her mouth and leaning on Ben’s shoulder. 

“He really did it,” She chuckled. Ben laughed with her. “I never thought he would have the balls to--”

Something inside Ben...sparked. Like a certain part of him was lit on fire, and he felt like he could do anything. Bill was completely out of the picture, and something about Beverly assuming  _ Bill  _ of all people wouldn’t have the balls to kiss someone really made him want to prove something. Out of nowhere but not exactly regretted, Ben pulled the laughing Beverly toward him and pressed his lips against hers. She was shocked, definitely, but she didn’t pull away--she just stood, kissing him, and Ben could feel her lips turn into a smile. 

“You really did it,” She whispered as they pulled away. 

“What do you mean?”

“I knew it was you, Ben. The one who wanted to ask me to prom. Bill told me it was someone…”

“But you have a million admirers,” Ben stammered.

“None like you, though.” She smiled. “Most of them just cat call. None of them would  _ actually  _ kiss me.” She smiled and put her hands on Ben’s cheeks. “I’m glad you did, Ben.” She pulled him again and kissed him like they had been together for months. As soon as they pulled away, Beverly finally heard the tunes of a slow song. Ben looked at her and felt his face get red. “Have you ever slow danced before?”

The truth was yes, with his mom, but something about that didn’t seem like the right answer.

“Uh, yeah, I think so. I don’t quite remember how exactly.”

“It’s simple.” 

They followed everyone else’s lead.

 

**the losers**

 

“Just put your hands on my waist like this,” Bev whispered. “And then I put my hands on your shoulders like this. And then we just...sway? I guess? You’ll know what to do.”

 

“Have you ever slow danced with a man before?” Bill asked Stan. 

“I can’t say that I have.”

“Well, erm, have you slow danced with a girl before?”

“Not really, no.”

Bill smiled at him. 

“Well, I guess we’ll learn together.”

Bill squeezed Stan’s hand and led him to the dance floor, where he noticed Ben and Beverly dancing, Beverly with her head nuzzled in Ben’s shoulder and her arms around his neck. 

Bill didn’t know if he would be like the “girl” or the “boy” in the situation; he figured Stan and him were just the same when it came to that reasoning. He just pulled Stan towards him and put his hands on his waist, pulling him closer. Stan chuckled and put his hands on Bill’s shoulders, but then slowly up to his cheeks to pull him into a kiss. Smiling, the two danced in each other’s arms.

 

“Rich, it’s the slow song. Come on.” 

Eddie jumped up in his seat and grabbed Richie’s arm, pulling him up. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” He said, laughing. “Shit, Eddie, look.” He motioned toward Bill and Stan, but also at Ben and Bev. “Prom really does work wonders, doesn’t it, Eds?”

“Told you.”

“Come on, Eds. Let’s dance.” Richie put his right hand on Eddie’s wrist but put his left hand out in the air, waiting for Eddie to hold it. 

“What are you doing?”

“This was how I was taught to slow dance.”

Eddie chuckled. “It works.” Eddie intertwined his hand with Eddie’s and put his other hand on Richie’s shoulder. “You are...ridiculous, Richie Tozier.”

“You love it, though.”

“I guess.” Eddie gave him a teasing smile. Richie pulled him closer and pressed a kiss onto his cheek. “In all seriousness,” he whispered. “I love you, Richie.” Richie smiled and pressed a kiss to Eddie’s lips.

“I love you too,  _ Eddie.”  _

The rest of the night was a blur. Eddie tried to remember every wonderful, amazing part after the slow dance, but unfortunately it was a bit difficult after a while. They were on that kind of high you get after an amazing night. First, they went to go eat food at a nearby diner, where they almost got thrown out for laughing so hysterically. They all went in different cars; Bev in Ben’s truck, Stan in Bill’s car, and Richie with Eddie. They were all wonderful pairings, but when they were all together was when they had the most fun. They went out on the town in their cars, blasting music and singing loudly, almost screaming, until they reached the highest point in Derry and all sat in their cars, looking at their dates and looking over the town on possibly the greatest night of their lives.


End file.
